


Laylea's Rescue Mission

by SV_Writer



Category: Original Work
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-15
Updated: 2018-04-15
Packaged: 2019-04-23 08:13:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14328288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SV_Writer/pseuds/SV_Writer
Summary: Laylea encounters a Centaur tribe in a panic from the sudden disappearance of a young expecting mother.So, what's Laylea to do?What any other knight would do.Find her, make sure she's safe and kill any mofo who tries to get in her way...





	Laylea's Rescue Mission

**Author's Note:**

> WARNING:  
> This story contains various violent descriptions and several lesbian undertones.   
> Read it anyway and lemme know what you think. 
> 
> NOTE:  
> Laylea belongs to delicousTFs on Deviantart.   
> This Story takes place in Oourwe, a fictional world created by delicousTFs.

 

Laylea sighed softly, as her horse moved through the cold plains. She shivered softly, cursing her luck for having the thinnest bloody cloak in the bloody fucking world. She glanced at her horse, who was moving along silently, without complaint. He was a big animal. He had to be big, to carry her, considering her weight. He probably didn’t feel to cold.

She cursed softly, under her breath. She thought that fat people didn’t feel the cold. So what was with her. Was it because, she had muscle under her fat? Fah! She reached down, to one of her saddle packs, and rummaged around briefly, before pulling out a small, flask of brandy. She had purchased it, for an exorbitant sum nearly a week ago. She had lived and trained in Duemdeld for entire life now, but she had lived in the southern regions of the country, where the weather was rather moderate. Right now, she had planned to move up north, towards the mountains, where it got much colder. Having a bit of brandy was considered a good idea.

But she wished, she had known she’d need more than just a flask.

She unscrewed the top and glanced inside sadly, at the paltry amount of alcohol that as in the flask, before downing it quickly, and shuddering as the fiery liquid burned its way into her swollen belly. She glanced at the empty flask, contemplating whether or not she should throw it in anger.

As One of the Knight Errant, Laylea was used to travelling for extended periods, without food or water, in harsh conditions. It was part of the reason why she had built such a substantial amount of fat over her body. Well, that and she just loved eating when she had the chance. It was hard for her to lose weight, so she didn’t try.

Right now, Laylea, had travelled for nearly three days without food, and she was down to her last, bit of stale bread; a tiny, round bun, that felt like a rock. She was hesitant to eat it, because in all this time, she had not found anything to eat. Not a berry or a root. Just plain old grass and random, inedible trees.

She frowned to herself, as she decided to keep the flask, hoping it might has some use in the near future. She had heard of towns existing in the north. They were apparently, so far and isolated they were mostly self-reliant, with virtually no trade or contract with the outside world. She had hoped they weren’t this far… but…

She paused, briefly. She had also heard that the people in these towns were nutcases and cannibals, that hunted people down for food and for other creepy experiment. She shuddered softly. She wasn’t sure if they’d respect a knight or eat one.

She let out a heavy groan, staring up into the sky. Hunger was irritating her greatly. She glanced at her horse, softly, “D’you mind if I had to eat you, someday?”

The Horse let out a heavy grunt.

She patted his thick neck gently, “Yeah, thought you might… Which is why, I won’t ask you, when I shove my sword into your head. I’ll make it quick for you.”

“You’re weird.”

Laylea blinked at the sudden voice, and stared at her horse, “You talk?”

“Why would your horse talk?”

She quickly glanced around before her eyes fell on a odd looking being that was standing a short distance behind her. It was a young boy. By the looks of him, he was a child, no more than twelve. He had his arms crossed over his chest. The shirt he wore was brightly coloured, making stand out from his dull surroundings of grey and white. He was rather tall, but mostly because his lower half was of a young horse, which was covered in a sort of skirt, that similarly coloured. A Centaur.

She blinked at the boy a few times before speaking, “I… I… what?”

He pointed to her horse, “Why were you speaking to him?”

She frowned and tilted her head, “I… dunno…”

The boy nodded, “Hm… Why are you so fat?”

She blinked at his sudden change of topic, “Oh… Um, I like eating…”

He grinned at her, “Me too.”

She smiled, “Uh, huh? Say… Is… Is your family around here anywhere?”

He nodded, “Yup.” He gabbed his thumb behind him, “Me whole troupe is back there. Wanna come an’ say hi?”

She followed the direction and saw a thin stream of smoke rising up from a clearing. She swallowed softly. Centaur groups were supposed to be hospitable for the most part, but they were a non-violent people. She wasn’t sure how they’d react to a knight…

Her stomach growled slowly, as if shouting at her and she nodded at the youngling, “Sure. Do you think you’d have anything to spare for a hungry knight?”

*

Laylea stared at the bowl of soup before her sadly. It wasn’t that she disliked soup… If anything, she rather liked a good soup. But, she didn’t think she’d like this one…

The Centaur sitting before her tilted her head, “Is something wrong?”

Laylea glanced up and smiled weakly, “Ah, no… no… Um, it’s just… I’ve never tried pinecone and grass soup, before.”

The Centaur smiled gently, “Oh, well this should be an experience! It’s wonderful!”

Laylea nodded softly. She had forgotten that Centaurs were known for their odd, plant-based dishes, that consisted of the most common items, like raw grass and leaves from trees. It was not uncommon to see a group of Centaurs simply eating raw plants to quell their large appetites.

Laylea carefully lifted the spoon and sipped the thin liquid, before frowning. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t anything really. It was kinda like some warm, salty water… She shrugged to herself, before placing the bowl to her lips and slurping softly. She had worse before. At any rate, it felt good just to have something warm in her belly, right now.

She quickly downed the entire contents of the bowl, before letting out a sigh of relief. The chubby, motherly centaur before her, smiled seeing Laylea’s content face, before holding out her hand, “Would you like some more?”

Laylea blinked, and nodded, “Yessum.”

The Centaur chuckled and began to ladle more soup into the bowl, slowly, “I’m sorry more of us, aren’t out right now. We’re being rather rude… I do hope you’ll forgive us for this”

Laylea glanced around frowning. There were at least half a dozen centaurs trotting around the camp, slowly. Mostly, heavy built males. Their eyes were fixed on the outside of the camp. Watch-guards maybe?

She turned back too the Centaur and smiled, “It’s fine. There’s nothing to forgive. I should be moving on soon, anyway.”

The Centaur frowned, “Don’t be foolish! You may be one of the Knights Errant, but you need rest in this weather!”

Laylea blinked at the sudden forceful tone, “Well… If you insist…”

The Centaur nodded and then beamed, “Good! Now. Have some more soup!”

Laylea smiled and nodded, “Yessum.”

*

The Motherly centaur, introduced herself as Jasina, the Head-Mother of this group of Centaurs, before leading Laylea to a single carriage, that was in the camp, that sat some distance away from the tents, “You’re quite lucky.”

Laylea blinked, “Huh?”

Jasina smiled and gestured to the small carriage before them, “There is another with us, but she is not a centaur. I do think that you would feel a bit more at ease with her.”

Laylea glanced at the carriage, “Is it common for others to travel with you…?”

Jasina nodded, “Yes, but only for short periods. This one has been with us for a few months now, because she wants to explore the country. But, she pulls her own weight, so we have no problem with her.”

Laylea nodded, “Coo’… Um, my horse…”

Jasina waved her hand, “We shall take care of it, and feed it, so that it will be well rested for tomorrow.”

Laylea bowed her head slightly, making her chain-mail rattle, “Thank you.”

“It is only right to serve ones guests as one would wish to be treated themselves. Now, rest yourself. We shall wake you for the morn’.” Jasina had a soft smile, but there was something heavy weighing over her. Laylea could see it.

She watched the heavy-set centaur trot away slowly, before shrugging to herself and knocking on the carriage door.

“Yes?”, the voice that emerged from within had a thin musical quality to it, that took Laylea aback, but she managed to speak up, “My name is Laylea. I’m one of the Knight Errant and I’ve taken shelter with this group for the night. Um, Jasina told me that I could stay here?”

“Oh! One minute…”

Laylea heard a soft shuffling, before the door swung open, revealing a rather seductive form, draped in a thick, black robe. A bright white smile, beamed down at her, “Come in! Quick! Let’s not let cold inside!”

Laylea blinked nodding, and jumping inside, as the woman quickly closed the door, before turning back to Laylea, “Phew! Well, it’s good to meet ya!” She stuck out her thin hand, “Name’s Breta!”

Laylea shook it slowly, staring at the woman before her silently before, “You’re not human…”

Breta blinked, and her bright smile fell slightly, “Nope. Succubus… I do hope you don’t have anything against me…”

Succubus were members of the feared, Demon race. However, thousands of years ago, they broke away from their host species, moving to the humans, begging for refugee. Unlike other demons, Succubi were not inherently strong, and as a result, were an abused minority among demons. And, while they were given refuge, few trusted them completely, with rumours spreading quickly that they could be spies for demons. The result was that Succubi had become a hated, and feared group all over for all races. However, they remained with humans because, according to them, “Being hated by humans is like heaven compared to being abused by demons.”

Succubi normally lived in monasteries, on the outskirts of towns, where they made a peaceful living from selling their bodies for various pleasures and growing crops. One could say that if a Succubus was born in the present age, then she was blessed. There were many who had come to trust and love Succubi. And Laylea was one of them.

She smiled softly at Breta, “Not at all! Just a shock to see a succubus move out of her home!”

Breta laughed softly, rubbing her head, “Well… I guess, we’re all a bit different, eh?”

Laylea nodded, before glancing around, the small area. There was a bunk bed on one side of the carriage, and a small box, at the end, that seemed to be a sort of table. There were clothes all over the small room, and it smelt strongly of some sweet aroma.

Turning back to Breta, Laylea smiled softly, “Um, so… Do you mind if I take the lower bunk?”

Breta shook her head quickly, “Oh, um, no! No, please! You can just drop your armour and stuff anywhere… It’s not like I keep this place neat…” She chuckled softly.

Laylea nodded slowly, and began to work on her armour, sliding it off, “Uh-huh…” She glanced back at Breta. Her eyes were sad, despite her smile. Something was going on here… But… Her danger senses weren’t going off. With all over her training, she knew where the people around her were dangerous. None of these Centaurs were dangerous and neither was Breta.

So why did something feel so off about this place?

*

Laylea stared up at the bottom of the bed, above her, before glancing over the side of her bed, at her armour that she had placed neatly on the side. She had voiced her desire to sleep quickly, and Breta had been kind enough to accept her request, but now that she was in a bed, she was finding it hard to sleep…

“Hey… Um… Laylea?”

Laylea, glanced back up and frowned, “Breta?”

“Uh-huh.”

“What’s wrong?”

Breta fell silent for a few seconds before speaking up, “You’re a Knight Errant… right?”

“Yup.”

There was another few seconds of silence, “… Do you help people?”

Laylea paused, choosing her words carefully, “…Yes. That’s the job. But, I do get paid.”

“What do you normally take as payment?”

Laylea frowned softly, before shrugging, “Stuff.”

“You don’t take money?”

Laylea waved her hand absently, “Anything. As a Knight Errant, we’re entitled to ask for whatever payment we feel is appropriate, but most of us, ask for food and drink. Money doesn’t have as much a use, when you’re travelling for days on end, through different countries, so most of us don’t take much.”

“…Cool.”

Laylea waited for Breta to say anything else, but after a few minutes, she found herself asking, “Did you have a request?”

“Oh, um… Maybe. I’ll… I’ll talk to you about tomorrow.”

Laylea shrugged, “Sure.” _How odd…_

Laylea waited for a few more seconds, and when Breta said nothing more, she turned over to her side and closed her eyes, waiting for sleep to make it’s over her.

*

It was mildly disconcerting, to wake up and see a woman staring at you, no matter how beautiful that woman is.

So, Laylea was very disturbed to wake up and see Breta sitting at the foot of her bed, staring at her. If she hadn’t been trained to bear up with certain surprises, she might have screamed.

Breta smiled softly, “Ah… C-Could we talk about that request?”

Laylea smacked her lips and blinked weakly, “Huh?”

“T-The request, I mentioned last night?”

Laylea frowned and rubbed her eyes slowly. Request…? Oh, yeah…

She paused and sighed, scratching her head with one hand, and massaging her large belly, with the other, “Hm. Sure… Sure… Just… Lemme freshen up, kay?”

Breta blinked, “Oh… Oh sure!”

Laylea smiled and lifted her legs over the edge of the bed, rubbing her back softly. It felt good sleeping on a bed after so long… She sighed and reached aimlessly around her feet, before remembering her water was with her horse. She glanced at Breta, “Do you have water?”

Breta nodded, holding out a water-skin. Laylea took it gratefully and uncorked it, pouring the water into her mouth slowly. Hmm… It was warm… How nice of them…

After a few gulps, she poured some water into her hand, and splashed it over her face, and began to rub it slightly, before handing the skin back to Breta, “Thanks.”

Breta nodded, “Yeah so…”

Laylea nodded, with a soft smile, “Yeah, sure. What did you want to request?”

Breta nodded again, “Yeah… about that… Could we discuss it, a bit away from the camp?”

Laylea frowned, narrowing her eyes slowly, before shrugging, “Yeah. Sure. Why not?” Succubi were not dangerous demons, in regard to their strength. It was one reason why they were normally the targets of demon haters. She was quite confident she could face off against a succubus bare-handed if she had to. But… She gripped her sword, tying it to her waist as a precaution. There may be other monsters lurking around… and betrayal was not an alien concept to Laylea.

She followed Breta out into the cold, plains. There was a light snow drifting from the clouds above. Nothing thick or heavy. Just enough to make you feel damp. Laylea glanced around, frowning softly. None of the Centaurs had left their tents, and most of the Guards were still standing at the edge of the camp. She paused glancing at the guards… They were large muscular fellows… but they way they moved, made them look… girly? Almost childish? There was something off about them…

“Um… Here… Here will do.”

Laylea turned back to Breta. Their position was far enough from the camp so that they wouldn’t be overheard, but close enough for them to be heard if they called out.

Laylea nodded, “Okay. So, what’s the request?”

Breta shifted nervously. She was wearing the same black robe as the night before, partly concealing her true figure… Laylea was curious to find out what she looked like underneath.

“There… There’s been an abduction.”

Laylea blinked in surprise, “What?”

Breta began to wring her hands, “An… An abduction! O-One of my friends! A-A centaur! H-her name is Altia. She was one of the few I was really close to! S-She was taken by monsters!”

Laylea narrowed her eyes, “How do you know she was kidnapped? How do you know that she didn’t run away or was hunted by some wild beast?”

Breta gripped her shoulders, “W-We heard her scream… and her cries for help. She was saying something like, ‘they’ve got me’… or something. She… She wouldn’t just run.”

Laylea crossed her arms softly, “You sound quite sure, that she wouldn’t try running?”

Breta nodded, “Altia… She… She’s pregnant.”

Ah…

Breta continued softly, “I was going to be her mid-wife… And… And we… we were going to name the baby, Tia… if it was a girl and… and Nolan if it was a boy and… and…” Breta’s voice was slowly getting higher and more paranoid, panic creeping into it… This was no longer the happy, calm Succubus who had welcomed her last night; this was someone else who had dropped the façade of calm and had no idea how to control themselves.

Laylea placed her hands on Breta’s shoulder and shook her gently, “Breta!”

The Succubus blinked at the sudden action, blinking in confusion, “Huh?!”

Laylea nodded and released her, “Calm down… Now… Tell me everything from the beginning… What happened?”

Breta blinked a few times and nodded, “A… A few days ago… My… My friend, Altia… was abducted by someone…”

Laylea nodded, “Yes, I got that. You said, you heard her crying for help, but did you see anyone? Anything?”

Breta shook her head, “I… No. It was… It was early. She always gets up earlier than everyone. Goes for a walk, to… to make sure the baby will be healthy.”

Laylea stepped back, frowning, “It was dark out?”

Breta nodded, “Nights are long… I’m sure you know that.”

Laylea sighed and nodded, “Did you hear anything else?”

Breta paused thinking, “I… I don’t think so… We just… We ran out, and she wasn’t there…”

Laylea frowned, “Nothing? There were no tracks or marks of any kind?”

Breta shook her head, softly and Laylea placed her hand under her chin, closing her eyes in thought. A Pregnant centaur went missing, presumably abducted… but no trail…

She opened her eyes and glanced back at the camp, “Is that why everyone is inside?”

Breta nodded sadly, “We send out search parties every day, but we don’t let anyone out when it becomes dark…”

Laylea pointed at the guards around the camp, “I guess, they aren’t fighters?”

Breta laughed sadly, “Nope. They’re just strong. They’re supposed to intimidate anyone who tries to attack. Most of them are lovers, so they’re also keeping a watch on each other…”

Laylea suddenly blinked, “Wait… That little boy…”

Breta frowned, “What boy?”

Laylea turned back to Breta in confusion, “The little Centaur boy who told me where your camp was. Why was he let out of the camp, when there’s a curfew?”

Jasina blinked in surprise, “Oh, you mean, Jaon?”

Laylea shrugged, “I don’t know. Is he the one who brought me to your camp?”

Jasina nodded, “Yes.”

Laylea smiled and nodded, “Then that’s the one. How did he get past the Guards?”

Jasina blinked, “I assumed he must have snuck past them somehow… I did scold him last night, and told him not to leave camp again, but I was a bit gentle, since he was helping you…”

Laylea frowned, glancing back at Breta who was wringing her hands silently. Jasina was probably right… Maybe… Maybe he did just sneak past… but… but on the off chance…

Laylea swallowed, “Can I talk to him?”

Jasina frowned, staring at the two of them, “What is this about?”

Breta quickly stepped forward, “It’s nothing, its-”

Laylea spoke up softly, “Breta informed me about the missing centaur.”

Jasina’s eyes widened as she turned to Breta and hissed softly, “ _Chetua!”_

Breta winced softly, before replying in the same tongue, “ _Esada, mata. Seta Mon Deos…_ ”

Jasina sighed, rubbing her eyes, “She has done wrong, by our customs…”

Laylea frowned in confusion, “What?”

Jasina turned away softly, crossing her arms underneath her chest, “We… We cannot ask you to do something like this…”

Laylea frowned, “Is… Is this a matter of payment?”

Jasina blinked, “Oh… Oh no. Nothing like that… But… You are our guest. You can in a time of need, and we cannot ask you to help us in a matter that you are not involved it… Our Gods and Ancestors would curse and hate us…”

Laylea sighed and shook her head. _Bloody… too nice for their own good…_ She stared back up at Jasina and smirked, “Alright. I’m not your guest anymore.”

Jasina blinked, “What?”

“I relinquish my position as my guest. I’m now just a wandering knight, passing through, ready to help some people.”

“But…”

Laylea crossed her arms, “Listen… I’m trying to help you here. Just accept it.”

Jasina glanced away, hesitantly, before sighing, “Fine…” She glanced at Breta, “Bring Jaon, please…” Breta nodded, before rushing off.

Jasina sighed again, “Forgive us for asking you to help…”

Laylea laughed, “That’s my job!”

“We shall pay you, whatever you-”

Laylea waved her hand, “Let’s discuss that later… Why were you so strict on Breta? She’s just trying to help.”

Jasina paused, before nodding, “I know. She has good intentions, but…”, She paused again, scratching her head, “The child has been travelling with us for a very long time… And while she often says that she is just travelling, but she often expresses her desire to stay with us. So, we have requested her to accept our ways and traditions, for as long as she stays… as we do with everyone. But, she is close with Altia and her husband. I would not hesitate to call the three of them a family. They would do anything for each other.”

Laylea laughed lightly, “You guys are just too nice.”

Jasina laughed sadly, “I have been told that before…”

Laylea paused tilting her head, “Where is this… Altia’s husband?”

Jasina sighed again, “We give him a herb to help him sleep. He cannot calm down otherwise. He spends all day in a frenzied panic. I cannot blame him…” She shifted her gaze to Laylea’s eyes, “You think you can find our family?”

Laylea hesitated before nodding, “I have a suspicion. Its not going to be nice, if it is true though…”

At that moment, Breta walked in, pushing the small Jaon with her. Laylea immediately turned and smiled at the boy, “Hey there, Jaon!”

Jaon blinked and grinned, “Hungry, horse lady!”

Laylea chuckled, “Yep, that’s me… Hey, I heard you got into a bit of trouble last night ‘cause of me…”

Jaon blinked and shook his head, “Uh-uh. That was me… I shouldn’t have left… but I did help you so…” He grinned innocently, “So, It all worked out!”

Laylea laughed, “Yep! But, I want to ask you… How did you leave the camp?”

Jaon frowned, tilting his head in confusion, “Huh?”

Laylea waved her hand absently, “Well, did you sneak past the guards or… do you know some other path?”

Jaon hesitated, glancing at Jasina and Breta, before inching closer to Laylea, and whispering excitedly “I found a tunnel…”

Laylea’s eyes widened, “…You don’t say… Would you mind showing it to me?”

*

Laylea, Jasina and Breta watched as the young centaur, used a sturdy stick, to stab into the ground and slowly, pry up, what appeared to be a sort of door, made completely of earth.

Jaon grinned at the three women staring at the half-opened entrance, “I found it by accident, the other day! There’s nothing down there, but this soft white stuff. It’s kinda sticky, but it’s not like… like wax or honey. But there’s a whole bunch of tunnels, that go everywhere! I use bits of charcoal to mark my paths, so I don’t get lost.”

Jasina stared in confusion, “What… What is this?”

Laylea ignored Jasina’s question, focusing on Jaon, “Hey… Jaon, next time you see something like this… Tell your family. Never… never go down alone. Please.”

Jaon’s smile faded on hearing Laylea’s dark tone, “D… Did I… do something wrong?”

Laylea blinked, “No… No! Not at all!” She smiled at patted the child’s head, “No, you’ve done great… but remember to be careful next time… okay?”

Jaon nodded uncertainly, “Okay…”

Laylea nodded, “Good… Why don’t you go back to the camp, now?”

As soon as Jaon was out of ear-shot, Laylea turned to Jasina, sweat beading on her forehead, despite the cold weather, “This is bad.”

Jasina frowned, “What is?”

Laylea pointed to the door, “This… do either of you know what this is?”

Breta shook her head, “No… I’ve never see anything like it.”

Laylea nodded, “Yeah… Cause, they shouldn’t be here. Have you ever been to Ocras?”

Another shaking of heads.

“Well, there are these spiders there; Trap Spiders Big, scary looking bastards. They dig burrows, and they hide in them. They use their webs to support walls and build a hidden door… like this one.”

Jasina gaped in horror, “But-But spiders are small!”

Laylea nodded, “Yeah… This is a Demon.”

While Succubus were members of the Demon Race, they looked nothing like the rest of their clan. Demons had twisted monstrous appearances. While it was a myth that no two demons looked the same, it was pretty close. They were abominations; fusions of various animals and monsters, including humans at times. They were dark evil beings, that had been banished to a barren plain of existence, following the Demon Wars, but it was near impossible to banish such a large group of such powerful beings. The result was a thin seal, that separated the World of Oourwe from the Barren plain.

On rare occasions, the seal weakened enough to let weak demons through, but even weak demons could fight.

Breta paled, “I… I didn’t…”

Laylea smacked Breta’s head, “Shut it. Of course, you didn’t do anything. You’re just a succubus, you can’t break the seal.”

“Oh.”

Laylea glanced back down at the door, “My guess is that, it was Spider-based demon. Did Altia walk around here often?”

Jasina shook her head, “Well, she walked around the entire camp…”

Laylea nodded, “So, it’s possible they knew she was coming…”

Breta blinked, “They?”

Laylea nodded, “While this hole suggests only one demon, you told me that Altia cried out ‘They got me’… I think we can presume there at least two demons, if not, more.”

Jasina swallowed, “So… is… is…”

Laylea glanced at her, “What?”

“Is… Is she dead?”

Laylea glanced at the hole, “I… I don’t think so.”

Breta blinked, “Wh-How?”

Laylea knelt down by the door, reaching down to open it completely, “Jaon went down there and saw nothing but webs and dirt… He said there was a net of tunnels… If this was just a normal feeding, I doubt it would have had to do more than dig a single deep tunnel… No, it’s doing something more…”

She glanced up at the sky, “…What’s the moon like tonight?”

Jasina frowned, “…A new moon, I think?”

Laylea sighed, “Oh, fuck… It’s a sacrifice.”

Breta’s eyes bulged, “What!?!?!”

Laylea turned to the succubus, “A new moon, is the one time when there is no sunlight. The moon cannot reflect the sun’s power to protect us, and as a result, the darkness within demons grows strong. Altia, is pregnant. She carries the power of new life within her. Most of us underestimate the power a mother has… They plan on killing and feasting on her, and her unborn child, tonight.”

Jasina’s gripped Laylea’s shoulder, “Why? Why would they do something like that?!”

Laylea shook her head, “I’m not sure. Power? They’re demons. They’ve held a grudge on the rest of us for a really long time now.”

Jasina shook her head wildly, “So… So Altia is…”

Laylea shook her head again, “Not dead yet. I’d say injured at most. Maybe a broken leg. To stop her from moving. Whatever the case, she’s not dead. I’m sure. She’s alive.”

*

Altia sniffed softly, wrapping one arm over her bare chest, and the other over her swollen gravid belly, before whispering softly, “It’s… It’s alright… Mama’s here… She’s gonna protect you…”

A throaty gurgle emerged from the shadows around her, as a dark, twisted being inched towards her, “Naw… Naw… Momma ain’t gonna do jack-fuckin’-squat, lil’ babe… Cause she’s gonna be fucking, mush in my belly!”

A terrible howl of laughter rang up around the terrified Centaur, as she whispered, almost to herself, “Why…?”

One of the twisted beings, inched towards her. This one had rabbit ears on its shoulders, a single red eye in the middle of it’s head, and a gaping drooling mouth at its groin, “Why…? Why you ask? Be… Because centaurs fought us so hard, in the past!”

“So hard… So hard…”

The rabbit being nodded, “You all were so strong… I must have fought many centaurs…” then it giggled, “And I ate all of them…” It began to drool more, before smacking its lips, “Oh… the red flesh of Centaurs! The spicy fire in your flesh, must have come from your fighting spirit! I want to taste that again!”

Another howl burst up and Altia whimpered softly, “Please… My baby…”

There was a terrible roar, and the spider-like being that had caught her before rushed towards her, “Your people showed no mercy to the demons carrying children within them!! I watched as a youngling, as my mother and sister were slaughtered by Orcs and Elves! I will show no mercy to all!!”

Immediately, another being, one with a thin, worm-like body rushed up to the spider-being and gripped its head, “Calm yourself, fool! We cannot kill her now!”

“BUT!”

“But nothing… We will kill her tonight…” The worm-one patted the spider one gently, “We shall kill her slowly… We shall draw out her pain and drink it… Would you not enjoy that?”

“…Hrm…”

“That’s right… And how about this? I’ll give you the unborn one. You can eat the whole thing.”

One monster spoke up, “Oi!”

The worm-one glanced away for a second, “Shut up.” Before turning back to the spider-one, “I’ll feed you, her fear, her power and her unborn foal… and then we shall break the seal and invite our people over, so that we can enjoy the flesh of young orcs, elves and humans as well…”

“Hrmm…”

The Worm-one grinned, revealing rows and rows of tiny, sharp teeth, “Yes… Fresh blood for all… Wonderful, isn’t it?”

“…Yes.”

The Worm-one nodded, “So, relax. She can’t get away anyway. Not after you damaged her leg.”

The Spider one shifted awkwardly, “Hungry.”

“I know you are… but still…”

Altia could only let the sobs silently rack her body, as tears flooded down her face. She was going to die… She was going to die, and so was her baby, before it could even take its first breath… She was…

*

“I’m not gonna let her die.”

Laylea quickly pulled on the bits of her armour, as quickly as she could, as Breta and Jasina stared in confusion, “But… But, how are we going to find her? There’s no way we  could search those tunnels by nightfall!”

Laylea smirked, “Maybe not you, but I am a particularly good tracker. I’m betting that Altia was wounded, while being dragged down. Even if she wasn’t able to fight back, I’m sure she left a trail.”

Breta swallowed and stepped forward, “Then-”

“No.”

Breta blinked, “But I-!”

Laylea waved her hand as she tightened her belt, “You guys can’t help me. You’re weak, and neither of you have any fighting experience. These demons are dangerous. They will kill you and they will try to eat you.”

Breta paled, glancing at Jasina who looked similarly horrified, before turning back to Laylea, “W-Well… I-I’m a demon… so m-maybe…”

Laylea gave Breta a dry stare, “Oh, sure. Demons are just going to welcome one of the group who betrayed them. They’re going to become great friends with you, and listen to you, and free poor Altia. You’ll just give them another sacrifice with your blood. Demons hold no pity for other life forms.”

Jasina let out a soft hiccup. Laylea glanced at her and blinked in surprise. The Head-Mother was sobbing softly, thick tears dripping from her face, “She’s… She’s just a girl… She’s going to have a baby… Why does she have to suffer like this…”

Laylea grimaced sadly, before turning away, and walking out towards the hidden tunnel, “I won’t let them kill her.”

“But what if…?”

Laylea shook her head, “She’s alive. I’m sure.”

Jasina shifted towards Laylea and began to loom over her. Laylea suddenly felt her blood run cold. The dark shadow over her, was no longer the kind centaur she had been talking to. This was something else. Something dark and primal. Trapped from generations of peace. There was something dangerous…

Jasina swallowed before speaking, very slowly, “If… If she is still alive… We will give you everything, to save her.”

Laylea let out a breath she had held in, as soon as the shadow left Jasina’s face. She was just scared… She quickly shook her head, “None of that. If she’s alive, then I’ll do whatever I can to get her back. Just prepare a week or two’s worth of food and supplies for me, as payment. As much as my horse can carry.”

Jasina frowned, “But that’s nowhere near enough!”

Laylea shook her head, “It’s just enough…” She glanced around, “If… If I’m not back with her by the time the sun is almost over the edge, you should all get out of her and inform the nearest town that demons will be coming soon…”

Breta blinked, “If you’re not back… with her?”

Laylea grinned, “Well, it’d be shameful, if I tried to comeback here without completely my mission, right?”

There was a heavy pause in between them, before Laylea spoke up again, “I don’t intend to die…”

Breta nodded, “…Do your best… please?”

Laylea nodded, before glancing at the open tunnel. There were two guards standing at the edge, holding the door open. She quickly glanced back, “Once I go in, close the door and don’t open it. If I come back, I’ll open it myself. You just keep a watch, okay? Run, if anything remotely… unnatural emerges.”

Both Breta and Jasina glanced at each other before nodding.

Laylea nodded, “Good…”

She glanced back down into the tunnel and groaned inwardly. Unto the breach… She had heard a man say something like that before. She had no idea what it meant, but he said it had something to do with going into a bad situation or something… Seemed fitting.

She jumped into the hole, and the light slowly died away, as they closed the door above her.

She pulled an unlit torch from her belt that she prepared in advance, before using a couple of small flints to light it up and glancing around.

Almost immediately the tunnel began to branch off. The white walls, felt strange, but they reflected light rather well…

Revealing the dark, dots on the ground.

Laylea winced at the trail of dark dots, covering the soil and small pebbles. She reached down and touched one dot… A strange dry texture… the darkness seemed to crumble off the pebble she was holding. She lifted it gingerly, before licking it with the tip of her tongue and then spitting.

Blood…

Laylea let out a soft groan, before moving forward slowly, following the trail of blood. Either Altia was hurt, or the demon was, but Laylea had no reason to suspect that a pregnant centaur would be willing to, or even able to fight back…

She paused, glancing around. She could see marks of charcoal on the walls, marking where Jaon had been… She assumed that there must have been several places from which you could reach the surface, but…

She tapped a wall softly. They wouldn’t take Laylea to the surface… No, a demon that could build a tunnel like this had to be a subterranean. They’d avoid natural light at all costs… So, they’d logically be in a natural or a made cavern…

She paused thinking back on her training. Subterranean Demons… A rather common breed of demons, that wasn’t very strong, as compared to the others in its species. They fought using traps, like these tunnels and by wearing down its enemies… Hmm… That was hopeful…

Laylea inspected her gear, making sure she had everything she’d need before continuing along the trail. It was hard to see. But, she among her many classes, Tracker stood out among them. She was an excellent tracker among other things, and she was very confident that this trail would lead to Altia. Laylea had no way of knowing, how right she was.

*

Altia felt her ruined of a leg throb painfully, the shredded muscle hanging from her bones, dried blood cracking at the slightest motion, and then felt her unborn child kick from within her womb. She could feel a sort of primal fear within the child… like it knew, that they…. They were going to…

“Hey… Hey… Momma…”

Altia jumped at the sharp, low voice and saw the Rabbit-Monster inching towards her, the mouth at its groin was drool heavily and its single red eye seemed to be shaking slightly. She swallowed, trying to shift back slightly, but the pain in her wounded body prevented her from doing anything, “W-what…?”

The Rabbit remained silent for a few seconds, before it’s tongue licked it’s lip, “You smell… fucking delicious…”

Altia let out a small squeak.

The Rabbit, crouched down and began to inch closer. It was around five paces from her, right now, “Did… Did I tell you about all those Centaurs I ate?”

Altia gulped, feeling her body shiver before nodding weakly. Oh god… she felt so dizzy…

A red, toothless grin suddenly emerged on the Rabbit’s face, as if split it, as it shuffled closer, a mere four paces from her, “They were all so fucking delicious… Spicy… Spicy flesh… In war time, I… _I would gorge myself on Centaur flesh…_ ”

Altia wanted to pass out in fear at this point. The only thing that kept her conscious or sane, was her love for the unborn child in her womb. She had… had to get away from this freak…

“ _Oh, the lovely, consistency of your flesh…_ ” that terrible guttural voice got louder was it shifted one more pace closer, “ _I remember when my belly used to bulge with the flesh and blood of your kind… I was their bane for such a long time… I would sit in the middle of the battle field, with my big… big fucking belly as they tried to fight me, only to end up in the pits of my tummy…_ ” a rancid giggle emerged from that gummy, blood mouth as it stood only a single pace from her. Altia was crying softly, feeling her tears and sweat roll from her body as it slowly reached out for her.

“ _I don’t… I don’t think I’ve ever eaten… a pregnant centaur before…_ ”

Altia stared in horror as that toothless mouth, suddenly expanded like some demonic portal. She could almost hear the screams of the ones who had been eaten in the past. She felt her body twitch absently as dumb sounds slipped from her lips, “Ah… ah…”

And then those dark lips went over her body and she felt her body tumble painfully into the dark, slimy sack… N-No! She struggled weakly, as her pain-striken body screamed at her. She could feel the unborn child in her womb struggling to survive. No! S-She had to escape somehow! She began to scream in pain as a liquid began to drip over her body and burn her skin, “H-Help me! S-Someone! P-Please!”

Then, there was a terrible sound, like someone tearing open a wet bag and Altia felt herself tumble out of the monster’s belly. She rolled painfully, before blinking and shaking her head and letting out a loose moan of pain and glancing around. Wha…?

The sight before her was terrifying.

A thick, muscular beast… Somewhat humanoid, but only in shape. Its limbs were as thick as tree-trunks. Its head was sharp and it’s teeth were sharper. Those thick, terrible arms were tearing apart the Rabbit as it gurgled painfully. She could see the Worm-Monster sitting on the Muscular Beast’s shoulders and it was speaking, “Fool. If you had waited but an hour, you could have gorged on her flesh as you please… Bah. I wasted my power to bring you here…”

Altia blinked in confusion. What was… going on?

The Worm-Monster twisted its body and stared at her, as the Muscular Beast continued to tear about the Rabbit, even after it was clearly dead, “Hmm… He shouldn’t have eaten you… Not yet at least… But don’t worry. We’ll still eat you later… And we’ll kill you first…”

It slithered off its mount and moved closer to Altia, staring at her like she was some sort of specimen, before glancing at her belly, “Hmm… Is your baby moving?”

She blinked and glanced at her swollen belly. She could feel her baby… But…

“N… No…”

The Worm clicked its tongue in irritation, “Bah… That fool…” It darted forward, jumping at her mouth and shoving itself inside, as Altia gagged on it. What was it… trying?

Oh… Oh god, it was so long… She could feel it in her belly… Deeper than that… Oh, god… Altia struggled to draw breath. Tears were streaming from her eyes as everything began to spin… Oh… Oh god…She was going to… She was going to…

…

…die?

Her heart began to beat furiously, as she gripped the exposed end of the worm with her hands and began to pull it furiously from her mouth. She had to move fast… Fast… it was slippery… and disgusting… She could feel it doing things inside her… It hurt to pull it… but… She had to… She… had too…

After what felt like an eternity, Altia felt the Worm pop out of her mouth, as she quickly pulled in air and began to breathe freely… Oh… Oh god… Thank you…

“Hrm. The baby is fine… A bit weak but fine… Should be fine for the sacrifice.

”

Huh? Altia stared in confusion at the worm as it slithered towards its mount. What… What was…?

She didn’t have any time to think more on it.

There was a heavy roar from inside the cavern, causing Altia and the Monsters to jump in shock. The Worm hissed glancing at its mount, “What is happening in there?”

The Muscular Beast grunted sadly in confusion, and the Worm hissed again, “Damn that Spider… He had better not have lost himself in his hunger again…”

Then Altia saw another monster run in. This one also looked like the Muscular Beast, but it was slightly thinner and softer. It had no eyes or lips and its teeth were large square blocks and from it’s mouth was a heavy gurgle, “L-Lord!”

The Worm frowned and tilted its head, “What?”

“A-A Knight Errant!”

The Worm froze, “IMPOSSIBLE!”

“I’m sure! That garb and that fighting style! I remember them clearly!”

The Worm began to tremble; in anger or fear, Altia could not tell, “Those… fucking bastards are still alive, eh?”

The Worm glanced at Altia, and quickly slithered from the Muscular Beast’s back, “Deal with it. I shall guard the sacrifice. Delay the knight for two hours at least… and we shall win…”

*

Laylea roared as she pulled her blade from the Spider-Demon’s back as it gurgled softly, dark blood flowing from it’s many wounds and severed limbs as it struggled to fight back.

Laylea gritted her teeth, “Give up and die, you bastard!”

A soft guttural voice emanated from the ruined body, “N… Never…”

Laylea grunted and brought her blade down again, using it like a bludgeon, smashing the bloody body, “What… the… hell… is… your… deal?!” Each word was punctuated by blow from her sword, before she stepped back and watched the fluid leak from the body. She couldn’t risk leaving it here without confirming its death. Some Demons could regenerate from worst wounds…

“Your… kind… killed… my… family…”

Laylea frowned at the Demon’s words, “Your family…?”

There was a dark silence between the two for a few seconds.

Then Laylea’s face twisted in irritation and disgust, “Wow. You’re acting like Demons didn’t slaughter the families of other species? It was a fucking war. Get with the times. Shit happens and we’re all gonna regret it someday, but there’s no use in holdin’ a grudge.”

The Demon froze, “…wha…?” and then it fell completely silent.

Laylea smirked and marched past the corpse, moving forward. The stupid bastard must have assumed he was fighting for some righteous cause, from his words…

She glanced at her sword and clicked her tongue noticing the small nick in the blade. She had to be more careful… She wasted too much time and effort on that Spider bastard. She raised her head and stared at the two massive demons who were wandering in. Hmm… Bulky monsters…

Laylea grinned, raising her sword and pulling a small dagger from her boot, “Come at me!”

The two demons roared and rushed at her. One, the bulkier of the two, had a distinctly cocky motion as it rushed at her. Her grin widened. She knew that feeling. When a foe would look down upon her because of her appearance. Her soft and pudgy body made her look much weaker than she actually was, concealing the iron-like muscle underneath.

She quickly ducked as it tried to grab her. It had a greater reach than she did, but… Her sword moved like water through the air, cutting through the chest of the demon, but avoiding even the slightest bone, to further preserve the integrity of her weapon.

The Demon roared in pain, as she jumped back, and watched the blood flow from the open wound. She narrowed her eyes and watched the blood flow slowly, cautiously. She could see it slowing down. _Che~_

Battle types, eh?

These ones would prove to be a bit more of a challenge than that spider bastard from before…

Laylea gritted her teeth softly. She had maybe an hour at beast before the new moon was at its peak…

_Wait for me, Altia…_

*

Altia shivered as the Worm continued to move around the cavern, glancing up every few seconds before glancing at her. There was a distinct hunger in its eyes and Altia could only whimper weakly whenever she saw it.

She wanted to get out of here… She wanted to go home…

The Worm paused, staring at the tunnels where the muscular monsters had gone before muttering softly and continuing it’s ‘walk’.

She recalled what the Worm had said; Delay the knight for two hours at least…

Had it been two hours yet? Had it been less? More?

…Knight Errant…

Altia had heard of them before… But she didn’t know much about them… Just that they were wandering knights, that moved from place to place helping people… She could feel a tiny flame of hope burn in her bosom, but it was constantly flickering. One knight… How much could one knight do?

The Worm stopped moving and began to move towards Altia. Altia felt her body tremble softly. Was the time up?

It moved right up to her face and stared into her eyes. Oh god… Oh god, those eyes were filled with such blackness and despair… but… there was something else. Altia blinked in confusion. There was fear within this monster. Fear. Sadness. Hope. Joy. Anger.

…it could feel the same emotions as herself…

It tilted its head and sighed, before turning, “Useless. Every last one of them.”

Altia blinked in confusion, before glancing past the Worm and stared at the plump looking woman, that had emerged from the dark. Her entire body was covered in small bruises and cuts; dark blood mixing with red blood and dripping from her body. She held a short sword in one hand, that was covered in dents and nicks, and it was slathered in that same dark blood. The look on her face was the one of someone demented and crazy…

Altia wasn’t sure which of the two before her seemed like more of a monster…

The Worm moved towards the woman, “It would appear that the Knights Errant are still strong in this day and age.”

The Woman cocked her head to one side, “Well, we know that Demons could come back at any moment.”

Altia blinked in confusion. _Demons???_ She thought they were dead…

The Worm laughed softly, “Indeed… I was so close too…”

The Woman nodded, “Yep. Those two goons were pretty good. But I doubt you’ve had much time to prepare or feed properly… That helped…”

The Worm nodded, “Yes… Yes…”, It slowly raised its thin arms over its head, “I surrender.”

“…Oh?”, The Woman’s face twisted in uncertainty.

The Worm grinned, “Indeed. I will not fight. I have no doubt that I would lose to you.”

“Oh?”

The Worm nodded again, “Oh yes… You, Knights Errant… You were always feared by us Demons… Your training twists your bodies into machines for killing… and your Souls into monsters, worse than us demons… To win, at any cost, including your own life… Isn’t that right?”

“…Hm.”

The Woman lowered her sword and stared at the Worm for a few seconds, before dropping it in the dirt and pulling out a short length of rope from her back, “Hands in front.”

The Worm’s grin widened, as it pushed its hands forward, and the Woman quickly spun the rope around them binding them tight, as the Worm continued to speak, “Don’t worry, I’ll be good. You can take be back to your camp and keep as a prisoner for however long you like…”

The Woman nodded absently, “Hm…”

She glanced back and picked up her sword, before staring at the Worm.

Altia could see she had no intention of sheathing the blade… and so could to Worm.

The Worm’s eyes widened with panic, “W-wait… I… I surrendered!”

A soft smile split the woman’s face, “So did your little Battle Demons… It was wonderful splitting their heads open.”

The Worm began to shift back, “I… I’m useful! I can help you when other demons show up!”

The Woman began to advance on him slowly, “The Knights Errant need no one’s help… let alone the help of a demon…”

“Please!”

The Woman raised her sword, silently and brought it down.

Altia stared in horror before feeling a scream rip out of her throat in shock and horror. The Woman quickly raised her head from the beheaded corpse and blinked at Altia, “Ah… You must be Altia.”

Altia pointed at the Worm’s body, “Y-Y-You k-killed it!”

The Woman nodded, moving towards Altia, “Hm… Yes, I did.” She paused and tilted her head to one side, “Did you think I was going to spare them?”

Altia just stared in confusion and disbelief at the woman before her. She couldn’t bring herself to disagree with her, but… It was wrong to hurt others…

The Woman suddenly smacked her fist into her palm, “Oh, it slipped my mind… You’re a pacifist…”, She smiled kindly at Altia, “Don’t worry. I won’t hurt you. I’ve been asked to find you and bring you back safely, by your Head-Mother and your little succubus friend.”

Altia blinked, “J-Jasina… a-and Breta?”

The Woman nodded, glancing at Altia’s wounded leg, “Yes… Although, I feel that ‘safely’ feels a bit wrong to use right now…” She glanced up and sighed, “Fuck… I’m tired…”

She knelt down and pulled out a tiny roll of cotton. It was a thin, and rough looking material, that the Woman used to wrap around Altia’s ruined leg with a few random sticks to form a make-shift splint. She moved gently, avoiding touching the lacerated flesh, but regardless, Altia continued to let out soft whines of pain.

The Woman clicked her tongue softly before speaking absently, “…I never introduced myself… I’m Laylea.”

Altia smiled weakly, “I-It’s nice… t-to meet you… Laylea…”

Laylea nodded again, “So… How’s the baby?”, She placed her hand over Altia’s tummy and rubbed it gently, feeling the delicate hardness of the unborn child within as she moved her hand over the soft, furry surface.

Altia glanced at her tummy and she rubbed her tired hand over it gently, right beside Laylea’s hand, “Fine… I think… I need Jasina to look at it… This is only my first baby… I’m still green behind the ears.” She laughed weakly at her own statement.

Laylea smiled at the laugher, as she pulled her hand away“I see…” She stood up and examined the bandage for a few seconds, “Alright. I think that should be fine for now…” She dug into a tiny hidden pocket and pulled out a tiny ceramic vial, no bigger than her pinky finger, and uncorked it handing it to Altia, “Here.”

Altia blinked, “W-what…?”

Laylea gestured casually, placing her hand on Altia’s shoulder and pulled her close gently, “A bit of healing potion. Its probably not enough to heal your leg… Your leg’s in really bad shape. I think it might be infected… But that’s nothing this can’t handle.”

Altia blinked, “Huh?”

Laylea continued ignoring Altia’s sudden shock, “This should at the very least, kill the infection, and prep the leg for healing. If your lucky, it may even shock your nerves, so you can’t feel it on the way back… And it may leave you open for some other things…” A seductive smile emerged on Laylea’s face, “You’re kinda off attractive, aren’t you?”

“Huh??”

Laylea grinned and pushed the mouth of the vial in between Altia’s open lips, causing the centaur to swallow in shock, “Good! Now, let’s have a bit of fun as I check your body for other injuries while we think about how to get you out of here, hm?”

Altia just blinked again, “Huh????”

Laylea grinned as she advanced on Altia slowly, “…You’re really quite simple aren’t you?”

*

Jasina slowly wandered around the camp, glancing to the horizon. The sun was almost completely gone… Laylea said that they should move to a town, if she wasn’t back before the sun had set…

All the Centaurs had packed up their tents and were ready to move soon. The only problem was…

Breta bounded along side Jasina, “Please! W-We have to wait for a bit longer!”

Jasina shook her head, “We were told to move as soon as the sun set.”

“B-But-!”

Jasina shook her head again, “I have to consider everyone… We can’t stay here for much longer.”

Jasina crossed her arms over her ample chest sadly. It didn’t feel right to leave one of their own behind… But…

“Ah… Yeah, you don’t have to leave.”

They both jumped in shock at the sudden familiar voice and they spun towards the sealed hole, which was now open and Laylea was peaking out with a soft smile on her face, “Hey.”

Jasina galloped forward, as Breta ran behind her, before leaning down, “Is… Is she…?”

Laylea nodded, “Yeah, she’s good. She’s fine. A bit battered. Her leg’s in bad shape, but I’m sure it can heal up.”

Breta arrived next to them panting heavily, “Where… is…?”

Laylea waved her hand absently, “Oh, yeah, she’s down here. Call some of those big guys. We need to get her out gently. The trip back here was a bit hard on her.”

“And the baby…?”

Laylea nodded, “The Baby’s fine! The Baby’s fine. I could feel it kicking on the way back. Tough lil’ guy.”

Jasina sighed with relief before rushing towards the entire caravan to tell them the news, as Breta fell to knees and pushed the hole open and glanced inside. Immediately her eyes met Altia’s eyes and a bright grin emerged on her face, “Alli!”

Altia blinked and stared at Breta. Soft tears began to leak from her eyes, “Bree…”

Then her stare hardened as she pointed at Laylea, “What’s with this woman???”

Breta frowned, “What?”

Atlia fumed softly, crossing her arms over her chest, her tail swisihing in irritation, “She… She’s… She _rubbed_ me!”

Breta’s frowned deepened, “Rubbed?” She glanced at Laylea who bonked her own head, and stuck out her tongue, winking in an attempt to be cute, which failed abysmally due to her gory appearance.

Altia nodded furiously, “She rubbed me, all over!”

Breta tilted her head, “Um… She… molested-”

Altia shook her head, “No! Nothing like that! She… She just rubbed me!”

Breta stared for a few more seconds silently, “…I don’t get it.”

Laylea clapped her hands once, “Of course, you don’t! Come on now! Let’s get this soon-to-be-mama out of here!”

*

The Camp was full of happiness as they danced around the fire, under the stars in a druken stupor. The fact that Altia had no only been found, but was safe, with her baby was an obvious source of relief for the entire tribe, and a clear source for celebration.

Altia herself was sitting by the fire with her husband, a thin, lanky but innocent looking centaur. They had their arms wrapped around each other, and he had tears running down her face. The Herd’s shaman had Altia’s wounded leg covered in a sticky, salve that smelt of rosemary and sage, before wrapping in thick, soft bandages.

Laylea admired to happy, couple from the other side of the party, while sipping the massive mug they had offered her, filled to the brim with some sharp, bitter alcohol, that was actually rather pleasant. The cold air chilled her drink quite nicely, and the atmosphere was wonderful. Altia was supposed to make a full recovery in a few months. She’d be able to walk properly within the first month, so for that time the Herd had decided to move to the nearest town, which was a few days walk towards the south, where it would be a bit safer.

Laylea on the other hand, decided to keep moving north.

“Are you hungry?”

Laylea glanced to the side and saw Breta standing next to her, holding a wooden plate filled with steamed potatoes, with cheese curds. She nodded and Breta handed the plate over to her, and Laylea gratefully began to eat. The flavours were dull and muted, customized for a centaur’s palete, but it was still quite nice…

Breta shifted softly, as she sat down beside her, and focused her eyes on Altia and her husband, “They look very nice together don’t they?”

Laylea glanced over at her and nodded, “Hmm.”

Breta leaned back, placing her hands behind her to brace herself, “We’ve prepared around a week-and-a-half’s worth of food for you. It’s by your horse.”

“Hmm…”

Breta glanced over at her, “You could come with us for a while.”

Laylea nodded, shoving the last bite of food into her mouth, “Yep… But I don’t wanna.”

Breta frowned, “We’re not pushing you away…”

Laylea nodded, “I know. But, y’all don’t need my help anymore. And someone else somewhere might. It’s my job.”

Breta blinked, “Oh…”

Laylea sighed happily, as she placed the plate on the ground, “Don’t worry. Demons are rare. The odds of encountering one group, are astronomical… You all were just unlucky this time. But you’re lucky that Jaon found me.”

Breta nodded, “We can’t thank you enough…”

Laylea laughed, “You gave me almost two weeks worth of food. You’ve thanked me enough.”

“But…”

Laylea waved her hand, “But nothing. I won’t hear another word of it. I’m just happy that she’s safe and everyone’s happy.”

Breta nodded, “Oh… Okay… but… Isn’t there something else, I could do?”

Laylea paused and glanced over at her, “Something you could do?”

“Mm-hm.”

Laylea tapped her chin, pretending to be in deep thought, “Hmm… There is something that comes to mind.”

Breta perked up quickly, “Of course! Name it!”

Laylea rose to her feet and stretched softly, “Well, I’ve be travelling for a while now… and I have to admit, I’ve not been able to get off very much…”

Breta blinked, “Huh?”

Laylea shook her head softly, “I was a bit sucked in when I saw Altia… I was a bit caught up in the moment… I was kinda excited but I held back… So I didn’t really get much done there…”

“Huh??”

Laylea grinned at Breta, grabbing her hand and pulling her up to her feet, “I’d love a wonderful night of pleasure and fun before we set off on our different ways.”

Breta blinked again, “Huh???”

Laylea chuckled, “You all are really simple, aren’t you?” She moved closer to Breta who was blushing bright red in the light of the fire, whispering softly, “You know…” She gently moved Breta away from the party, towards her small caravan, “…I’ve never bedded a Succubus before… but don’t worry about that…”

_Heh…_

“I’ll be gentle.”

 

THE END.


End file.
